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Durban - A Johannesburg couple, who lost all their household belongings in the recent flash floods, has turned to social media pleading for help to try and find their dog which went missing after their home was flooded last Wednesday.

Michael Bowen, the owner of Toboe, a 6-year-old white English Bull Terrier, said the dog was home alone when the flash floods hit Johannesburg.

The floods caused widespread mayhem.

In one of the most serious incidents, a 3-year-old girl was swept away by floodwaters and a search for her was continuing.

At least six people reportedly died and about 4 900 people were affected by the floods in the province.

In an attempt to get his missing dog back, with the help of the Edenvale community, he set up a Facebook page titled Find Toboe (Lost in the Edenvale Floods) and raised R7 000 as a reward for anyone who returned Toboe.

The 27-year-old said he and his fiancée, Chantal, recently moved into a property in Eastleigh.

"My girlfriend is four months pregnant and we moved into the property because we are getting ready to welcome the baby."

After just nine days of settling into their new home the area was hit by flash floods.

Bowen said he was at work last week Wednesday when it started raining at around 18:00.

"We saw the rain and we didn't think much of it. I thought Toboe was going to be fine because he was in a protected area by the patio."

With his shift ending at 19:00, Bowen could not wait to get home to make sure that Toboe was fine, but he then received a phone call from his landlord asking him to rush home because his home had been flooded.

"I drove as fast as I could and when I got to our road I saw that cars had been swept away, there was gravel and mud everywhere and the gate to the property had been ripped off the hinges."

Friendly, well-liked

Bowen said the bricks of the driveway had also been dislodged.

"My neighbour's walls had collapsed onto our property and all the water had converged at our property," he said.

Bowen got out of his car and rushed into the flooded house.

"I was submerged waist deep and I held onto the window looking for the dog. All our new furniture was under the water, the entire house was damaged, but I was worried because I could not see the dog.

"When I realised he was gone, my heart sank."

Bowen said Toboe was friendly and well-liked in the community.

"He is not aggressive at all. What makes him special is that he is one of the most handsome dogs we have ever owned. We are desperately trying to get him back; he is a part of our family."

Bowen pleaded with community members who might have seen Toboe to contact him on 062 533 6207.

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